Blackburn's search for a new manager is under way following the shock dismissal of Sam Allardyce yesterday.

Martin Jol, Chris Hughton and even Diego Maradona have been mentioned as potential successors to Allardyce, who was sacked by Rovers' owners the Venky's Group despite the team sitting relatively comfortably in 13th place in the Barclays Premier League.

The 56-year-old replaced Paul Ince at the Ewood Park helm in December 2008 and, having guided Blackburn out of the relegation zone to safety in that campaign, led them to a respectable 10th place last season as well as the semi-finals of the Carling Cup.

Results this term have been mixed so far - including a 7-1 defeat at Manchester United at the end of November - but a win over Bolton on Sunday would have seen Rovers move into the league's top seven.

Instead, they lost 2-1 to 10-man Wanderers in what proved to be Allardyce's last game in charge - as he would discover the next day.

"I had to pop in to see the chairman (John Williams) and he presented the rather shocking news to me," Allardyce told Sky Sports.

"It was obviously unexpected, but that's the world of football today. It hasn't really been explained to me and I'm a little confused in my own mind at the moment, but the reality will kick in in a couple of days.

"For now it's just about me thanking everybody at Blackburn Rovers.

"I have had a fantastic two years there and really enjoyed my time with everybody - how well we did, given the circumstances when I took over, and how we built the club going forward.

"The support of everyone at Blackburn - the fans, the players and the board - was what I really enjoyed. It was under relatively difficult circumstances financially, but I understood that before I took the job and unfortunately, it is no more.

"It's up to them now where they take the club forward. I'm not a part of it, I'm very disappointed about that and would have liked to have been a part of it - but I'm not."

Venky's have dispensed of Allardyce's services less than a month after completing their purchase of Blackburn for £23million.

The Indian poultry giant said in a statement on Rovers' official website that the decision had been taken "as part of our wider plans and ambitions for the club".

Allardyce's assistant Neil McDonald has also departed, with first team coach Steve Kean stepping into the breach temporarily.